Shoot for the Sky, Where the Stars Live
by theflowermaid
Summary: Natsu Dragneel was the every guy. Lucy Heartfilia craved love and adventure. So, what happens when the two bump into each other at a ball? Chaos ensues as Lucy is suddenly captured by the evil Zeref, inadvertently dragging Natsu along in the process, wondering exactly why Zeref wants Lucy. But will this experience blossom into something more? (Please review! :D)
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_Natsu_

They were in a mountain. Well, it was really a volcano, which burned all who weren't Dragon Slayers. Fire was burning everywhere but Natsu himself couldn't use any of it if he didn't want to die on the spot. Then again, considering Lucy's fate, he might as well risk it. He pulled Lucy's head to his lap and fruitlessly tried again to wake her up.

"...Lucy...wake up..._please_..."

Natsu wrenched his tear stained face from Lucy's unconscious body and glanced at the stars above flying towards them. A fire dragon was in the sky, battling a magic that even he couldn't put a stop to. If Lucy was to die, then why the hell was he still here?

"It's too late for her, Dragneel," a voice said darkly. "She...no...her _parents_ chose this fate for her."

Clenching his fists, he controlled his tears and looked up at the voice in front of him.

"Her parents wanted to protect her..." He stood up and glared at the person in front of him with a murderous rage, laying Lucy gently from harm's way. "What the hell did you do, Zeref? You jackass..."

"I didn't do anything," Zeref replied nonchalantly. "She chose this."

_"You made her choose this!"_

"How can anyone resist true freedom in this world, hm?"

Gritting his teeth, he started thinking about various ways to murder Zeref. But without Atlas Flame's fire and Gray's ice make magic, he couldn't hope to save Lucy. In addition, the Celestial Spirits will die as well without their former owner. _There had to be a way..._

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><p><strong><em>AN: Hello! Hope you like where I'm taking this! I said this earlier but this is my first Nalu specific fanfic. Feedback would be immensely helpful. Thanks!_**


	2. Ch 1: Peace vs Adventure (Lucy's POV)

**Chapter 1: Peace vs. Adventure**

_A month ago_

_Lucy's POV_

It was a quiet day in Magnolia. The library was even quieter than usual, as a certain blonde girl often heard someone moving books off the bookshelves. But unfortunately for Lucy Heartfilia, quiet was not the answer she was looking for at the moment. Then suddenly, she felt something move behind her. Putting her book down on the table, she looked around to find no one beside her. That's when suddenly, someone said: "_Hime_, your carriage is here."

A pettie pink haired girl in a maid outfit appeared beside Lucy as she yelped in shock.

"Virgo! Don't scare me like that, please!"

"Sorry, _Hime_. But we could feel your troubled senses."

Lucy moaned. "I still don't get how and why you guys break through the gates."

"You're our master, _Hime_," Virgo replied. "We're only concerned about you."

"Oh well. I really appreciate your concerns but I have enough things on my mind! First off, I don't wanna get married. I'm only seventeen! Please, tell me how I can change my uncle's mind!"

"What the king ordered is what the king ordered, I'm afraid," Virgo confirmed with a wave of regret. "This is to unify the kingdoms of Magnolia and Hioku in order to stop the war."

"There's always a peace treaty!" Lucy yelled as she got into the carriage. "With pen and paper. Why do I have to be a part of it!?"

"I overheard that the prince is looking forward to it."

"Oh, joy," Lucy grumbled sarcastically under her breath. "Of course Takashi is looking forward to it...Looking forward to get on my bloody nerves, that it."

But truth be told, she didn't know what Takashi would be or look like. It's been nearly ten years since she last saw him and when she did, he had a passion for playing pranks on her. Who knew? Maybe he would be a little more mature or he may be still a jackass. Lucy was hoping her first assumption would be correct, but her hopes weren't high.

The carriage pulled to a stop as Virgo vanished, going back to the Celestial world. Layla Heartfilia was waiting for Lucy at the steps of the castle, smiling widely.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" asked Lucy. "Aren't you supposed in town today?"

"I finished up a little early," replied Layla as she gave her daugther a hug. "I was going to come by the library, but..."

Lucy scrutinized her mother for a solid minute, knowing something was up. Layla never finished up this early bceause she liked spending time in town.

"Mom, what's going on?"

Layla gave her a funny look. "Why would you think that something is going on?"

"Just tell me. Is this about Takashi?"

Layla sighed. "Alright. I'm guilty. But first, don't you think that you should be enjoying life a tiny bit instead of just sitting around reading books? Not that there's anything wrong with that," she added hastily after Lucy's murderous expression.

Lucy crossed her arms. "I would if Dad let me out once in a while. Now what is it about Takashi that you want to talk about?"

"Um..." Layla's eyes took a quick glance at the castle and back to Lucy, sweatdropping as she did this twice in a row. Lucy sighed knowingly and raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. He's here, isn't he?"

"His twin sister Levy is here as well, sweetie. This will be good for you, I promise." Layla kissed Lucy's cheek and walked up the stairs.

_Oh well, _Lucy thought to herself. _If Levy's here, then __maybe__ it __won't__ be that bad._ Lucy ran up the stairs and to the study where Layla said they were. When she opened the french door, she saw Levy McGarden standing gracefully at the window. She turned around at the sound to see Lucy standing at the doorway, whose expression got more ecstatic by the minute. "Levy, is that you?"

"Lu-chan!" Levy exclaimed. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Lucy pulled her into a bear hug. "Oh, it's been ten years since I last saw you! How's it going for you?"

"Ugh, life has been hectic since the war started," groaned Levy. To think that if our fathers weren't friends, our uncles would have continued this war!"

"Yeah, and they end this war at the cost of my free will," muttered Lucy. "Oh well, at least I get you as my sister-in-law."

Levy looked concerned. "Yeah...I heard Takashi talking about that. I'm really sorry, Lu-chan..."

Lucy quickly dissmised her apology with a wave of her hand. "It's not your fault, Levy. How has your brother been doing over the years?"

"Arrogant as ever," said Levy, rolling her eyes. "But he does have the makings of a king and he's not as annoying as he was when we were kids..."

_Oh thank god, _Lucy thought in relief. So Takashi actually matured during this war. Seeing as she was about to get married to him, this was some good news. "So...what now?"

"Hm..." Levy scrunched up her eyebrows in thought. "How about a little bit of horseback riding? We can catch up with a little picnic."

Lucy smiled widely. "Sure, why not?"

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><p>After getting into the gear for horseback riding, Lucy and Levy rode out to the hills, where the plant life was alive during the winter season. The scenery was absolutely marvelous, especially with the winter tulips in full bloom. The pine trees were covered beautifully with icicles, and the hills were as white as a snow rabbit. In fact, when Lucy was young, there was a rabbit family that lived in the part of the forest where they were riding. As the years went by, she often wondered why she never saw them anymore.<p>

"I forgot how beautiful Magnoila was during the winter," Levy sighed in nostalgia and hour later. The two of them were muching on some cake that Lucy packed for the ride.

Lucy nodded. "Yeah, considering that Dad doesn't let me out as much anymore, I forgotten it as well."

"So what are you going to wear to the ball two days from now?"

"I-I don't know if I'm going, Levy...I was actually thinking about staying in the study all night."

"Lu-chan..." Levy sighed. She grabbed Lucy's hand and continued in a reluctant voice: "You have to come. From what I heard...you don't have a choice."

Lucy froze. _What did she mean by the fact __I __don't__ have a say in this?!_

"Well first off," Levy answered to Lucy's astonished expression, "you haven't seen Takashi in years. And second, there's something you need to know immediately."

"Eh? What's that?"

"I don't know," Levy shrugged. "All I know is that your life is in danger. Takashi knows the real reason..."

The gears in Lucy's mind were running rapidly, thinking of a reason. "...Does this have to do with me getting married to him?"

"Like I said, Lu-chan, I honestly don't know whether this has to do with the marriage or not. Just be careful and at least come to the ball for my sake. And also," Levy added, "You two are just getting engaged for the time being."

"Ah?" The mind gears stopped and crashed in Lucy's brain. "En-en-gagement?"

"You're only seventeen, Lu-chan. Did anyone honestly scare your into thinking that your wedding would be in three weeks?"

"Um. Yeah! Namely my dad..." Lucy stared at Levy with utter disbelief. Then she sighed in obvious relief and hugged Levy happily like a seven year old, the two of them falling back on the grass.. "Thank you, Levy-chan!"

"Alright, alright..." Levy laughed as Lucy kept saying thank you delight for the next two minutes. "Gezz, I had Takashi doing the same thing when he found out that I managed to convince our uncle to postpone the damn wedding until you were at least twenty four."

Lucy got off Levy and sat right back up as the trumpets roared in the distance, playing from what Lucy remembers as the Hioku anthem.

"I think that's Takashi," said Levy as they both stood up. "Come on, we better get going."

"I guess so." They packed up everything, got onto their horses and rode back to the castle. As Lucy's stallion went down the dirt path, what Levy said about her being in danger stuck out in her mind like a sore thumb. The minute her mum gave her all of the Celestial keys that she had, she never really explored much as her dad was intent on keeping her safe and sound in Magnolia.

_H__ow could I be in danger if I never really left a place I was desperate to get out of? _Lucy thought as she neared the palace grounds. Seeing as she wasn't going to get any answers from her parents, Lucy only had a couple of days to corner Takashi and get some infomation. But even then...she highly doubted that luck would be on her side.

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><p><strong><em>AN: I really hope you guys liked this chapter! It's shorter than what I would usually write but hey, I haven't written short chapters in a while. (Hint: Natsu's POV is coming up next. XD) _**

**_See until then! :D_**


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